LOP BURI: Pasak Jolasid dam in tambon Nong Bua of Patthana Nikhom district now has only 46 million cubic metres of water left, or only 4.82% of its full capacity of 960 milllion cubic metres, according to media reports.
Supachai Manokarn, the dam's director for water distribution and maintenance, said water in the dam is now at a critical level after a long period without rain.
Despite the small amount of water remaining in the reservoir, it is still necessary for the dam to discharge water to communities below for consumption and to maintain the ecological system.
The 10th irrigation zone of the Royal Irrigation Department has continued to supply water through a pipeline system to about 30,000 rai of land in Sa Bot, Khok Charoen and Khok Samrong, but at a much-reduced rate: 8,333 cubic metres per day, down from about 20,000 cubic metres.
As the water level in Pasak Jolasid dam drops, old communities -- including temples that have been underwater since the construction of the dam -- have re-emerged, becoming a tourist attraction during the drought.
